


I think we're on their blacklist, if not everyone's

by timberwolfoz



Series: won't be long before I cave in [3]
Category: New Blood (TV)
Genre: M/M, Post-Series, Pre-Relationship, adorable prats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 16:04:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10311977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timberwolfoz/pseuds/timberwolfoz
Summary: In which Stefan's prior renting experience comes in handy, and the Sayyad family are resourceful.With thanks as always to mcicioni to introducing me to these adorable prats, and for the beta help.  Special thanks to her workmate for help with the Farsi phrases.





	

"What a day," said Rash as they walked into the building in Shoreditch housing their (for now) flat.

"I know, it's all hard to believe," said Stefan as he pushed the button for the lift.

"I know, even by our stand –" He broke off as the lift door opened and two of their neighbours (who they'd passed in the hall previously) walked out. "Afternoon."

"After…noon," they responded as they headed out and Stefan and Rash got in.

"Is it just me," said Stefan, "or were they giving us funny looks?"

"Definitely not just you. But there's no way they could know what's going on, unless the real estate agents spread the word. "

"And just because they manage one flat doesn’t mean they – "

"Rash," broke in Stefan as the lift doors opened, "what's that?"

They exchanged glances and walked down the hall to their flat, which had a Section 8 notice stuck on the door.

Stefan ripped it down and read through it, then, grim-faced, showed Rash the last page.

Stating that they were required to be out by 11:59 that evening, or court proceedings would begin the next day.

"What. Do we do now," said Rash.

"We get the fuck out," said Stefan, his voice lower and angrier than Rash had ever heard it.

"But – now?"

"Well we don't want to stay, do we?"

"So how are we going to do this?"

"Go down to the nearest supermarket and get some cardboard boxes and packing tape. I'll see if the guys can help. Otherwise we'll, I dunno, get a storage locker or something."

"You've done this before," said Rash. 

"You're not wrong," said Stefan, his voice still tense and angry.

"Right," said Rash. "Soonest done, soonest out. Back soon."

He squeezed Stefan's shoulder and went back down the hall, while Stefan pulled out his mobile phone, selected a contact, and broke into angry Polish that had one neighbour sticking her head out the door before Rash's grim look had her hastily withdrawing back inside.

~~~~~

When Rash returned, his arms laden with flattened cardboard boxes and a roll of packing tape around his wrist, he found the front door propped open. "Stef?" he called.

"In here!" replied Stefan, appearing at his doorway.

"What's with the door?" asked Rash.

Stefan gave him an exasperated look. "Everything that's valuable is in your room or mine and I haven't left the place."

"But – the door?"

Stefan shrugged. "Call me paranoid, but I don't trust them to change the locks on us before midnight."

Rash's eyes widened as he blew out his breath in an explosive sigh. "God, I didn't think of that. Now what?"

"The guys are on their way with a couple of vans, pack up your own stuff before they get here, they'll help with the rest."

"That's great, thanks. What about the keys? Do we take them back?"

"I called the estate agents. They said," here Stefan switched to a pretty good imitation of the cadence and accent of the agent they'd dealt with the most, "'That's not necessary, just leave the keys on the table and make sure the door's locked behind you.'"

"Don't want us in their office, huh?" said Rash, fury in every word. "Right, I'll leave the boxes here. Let's get down to it."

"And don't forget to take photos," said Stefan, his tone equally furious. "Take photos of everything so we can prove we left the place in equal or better condition to what we found it in."

"I'm glad you've done the rounds before," said Rash, shaking his head. "I would not have thought of that."

"Sad experience, Rash, sad experience," said Stefan, pulling out his phone and snapping a few photos, then walking to his room and continuing to pack.

~~~~~

The next few hours were a blur of packing their things, trying to wedge things into in the smallest space or so they would remain intact, thundering footsteps, angry Polish, and managing the logistics so there was always someone in the flat and someone by the vans, even as the rest of them trekked back and forth to the van, and frantic last minute checks for the odd elusive item or making absolutely sure they hadn't left behind so much as a tissue and the flat was as clean as they could make it.

But somehow, by seven that evening, the flat was cleared, the door was locked behind them, and they were all standing by the vans, loading their suitcases, bags and bicycles into the second one.

"Where now?" asked Jan.

"You know, I have no idea," said Stefan. "We just wanted to get out of there."

"You cannot stay in our place. Is no room now."

"I _know_ that."

"How about at Mum's?" put in Rash tactfully. "She'll be able to put us somewhere."

"Where … is Mama's?" asked Kamil. 

Rash gave them the address, the two drivers entered it into Google Maps, and they all piled into the two vans and drove off, just beating the parking inspector.

~~~~~

"You didn't tell me your mother was having a party," muttered Stefan into Rash's ear as Rash's mother opened the door to them.

"I didn't know. And this isn't a party, this is just the relatives," replied Rash out of the side of his mouth, before greeting his mother with a kiss on her cheek. "Hi Mum. We just got served with a section 8. Can we beg a bed for the night?"

"The couch is fine by me," said Stefan with his most charming smile, even as a chorus of "Shākh dar āvordam!" 1) arose from the aunts.

"Well, we found the owner had connections with Stefan's last case so we weren't going to stick around and argue," said Rash.

Nasreen Sayyad shook her head slowly. "Shokeh shodam." 2)

"Yeah."

"Did you at least get everything out?" asked Aunt Darya.

"Yes, or they'd charge us to remove it."

"So where is it all?"

"With Stefan's friends in the vans."

"Well, bring it in. And them too. Come, come. Plenty for everyone," said Nasreen, bustling out the door, tailed by her sisters, an amused Leila and a bemused Rash and Stefan.

"Thank you, thank you," she said as Stefan's erstwhile housemates bundled out of the vans. "Please, come in. Bring the boys' things in, leave them in the hall. Come, eat with us. Plenty for all."

"Yes, you'll need your strength," said aunt Minoo.

Rash sighed even as he obediently started unloading the vans, while Stefan followed suit, beaming in delight, and Stefan's erstwhile housemates looked as though all their Christmases had come at once.

~~~~~

"So what now?" Leila asked Rash as they dried, Stefan having insisted on doing the washing up ("We do have a dishwasher." "Such a _charming_ boy, that's so kind of you.")

"SFO taketh away and SFO giveth, hopefully," said Stefan.

"What he means is his boss's boss knows somebody who wants to rent a place out," said Rash. "Otherwise we'd be in the – " He broke off as she raised a big-sisterly eyebrow and substituted " – proverbial."

"You're lucky."

"Well, we haven't got it yet. Mum may have a short term boarder."

"Oh God no, I'd find somewhere."

"Not when we're going to need a deposit, we're not."

"Oh God, what are we going to do about – "

"Boys? Leila? When you've finished, come and have coffee!"

"I can lend you it," said Leila quietly.

"Leila, we can't – "

"Come on, what are big sisters for?"

"But what if you need it?"

"I'll be staying put for a while," she said sadly. "I don't know what's going to happen."

Stefan looked sadly over at her while Rash squeezed her shoulder sympathetically, tea towel still in hand.

~~~~~

About half an hour later they were drinking coffee and eating halva when Rash's phone rang. "Excuse me," he said, answering it. "Hello? Oh, hello, Nicholas. What – we have? That's great." He mouthed "We've got it," and rolled his eyes affectionately while Stefan performed a silent dance of joy. "What – oh, they want us in ASAP? Like, how soon?" He listened to the answer, eyes widening. "Tonight? Weeeeee… can do that. They – oh, I see, that explains it. Yes, we can do that, we'll meet you at the office?" He glanced at Stefan, who nodded vigorous agreement. "Right, we'll be there as quickly as we can. Thank you. Yes, see you soon." He ended the call. "They want us in straight away."

"That's… odd."

"Well, the owner's paranoid about squatters. Apparently a friend of theirs had their property taken over and trashed. So… straight over."

"I'll call a minicab," said Stefan.

"No, we run you over," said Jan firmly.

"Is it furnished?" asked one of the aunts.

"Nothing. Not even a fridge."

"I'll pack a bag with some fresh food and a thermos of milk," said Rash's mother. "And some mugs and spoons. And a kettle. And some toilet paper. Just to get you through the first night. Oh, and we have a couple of air mattresses – no we don't, I gave the single ones away but there's a nice double one that inflates on its own, and there's your sleeping bag, and I'm sure you can manage with an old duvet … "

"We've got duvets, Mum," said Rash.

"But if the heat's been off, which it probably has, the extra covering's'd be welcome," said Stefan. "Thanks, Mrs Sayyad." 

"And I have some old cutlery and china," said one aunt. "And Saeed has an old fridge he's not using. And there's that old double bed frame though you'll need a mattress …"

"We have that old bed we're not using, you can have that, it was going to go in the skip anyway," said the other aunt. "And Sheyda has that couch she was going to give to charity, and Yahya and Raha have some wall hangings, and I could give you some cushions…"

"And what about a washing machine? They need one of those at least!"

"Better a washer dryer, Omid knows people, he could – "

"We'll work that out later, Aunt Darya," said Leila firmly. "Right now, Rash and Stefan need to go to the estate agent's."

"Yes, we go," said Kamil.

"And we'll put together what they need for tonight so they don't have to unpack it all right away," said Rash's mother. "Go, go!"

~~~~~

"I cannot believe they were happy to take the balance of the bond _after_ the first month," said Stefan incredulously later that evening as they lay on their air mattress side by side in the living room, drinking the beers that had been Leila's housewarming gift.

"You heard what he said, the owner wanted someone in straight away. And they explained what had happened."

"But… renting doesn't work that way."

"It evidently does if you have contacts. And your Ms Davies does. Luckily for us."

"Yeah. Here's to Eleanor." They clinked bottles and Stefan asked, "Are your relatives really going to give us all that stuff?"

"Seems like. The place'll look like a cross between a bazaar and a Bollywood set."

"Sounds fun," said Stefan, chuckling at Rash's exasperated eye roll. "Well. Here's to this place."

"Let's hope we have this one a _bit_ longer." Stefan laughed ruefully as Rash clinked their bottles together. "Cheers."

**Author's Note:**

> 1) Literally: "I grew horns". Practically "I can't believe it!" or equivalent.  
> 2) "Great shock."
> 
> Notes for the legal-minded  
> Malik, or his estate agents, are seeking possession of the flat under Section 8 Grounds 12: i.e. that they've broken the lease (or the SFO has broken it for them). IANAL but I suspect it's illegal as hell, even with the broken lease – and certainly the manner of delivery is suspect as – but Rash and Stefan don't have the money to fight it, they want to be out and the estate agents want them out even more. And I suspect Malik is taking measures to make sure that their rental history has such a black mark on it that they'd find it next to impossible to rent ever again. Fortunately this isn't going to be a problem. *g*


End file.
